How Are You Enjoying the ‘New Normal’ so Far?

Sioux Falls businesses and restaurants are starting to spring back to life again, albeit slowly, but surely, after the nearly two month long COVID-19 quarantine here in the Sioux Empire.

Have you mustered up the courage to go out and dine-in at one of your favorite eating establishments yet, that just reopened recently? If so, what types of changes did you encounter?

I hit one of my favorite spots for lunch on Tuesday. I walked through the door and immediately had my temperature taken before they would seat me. That was weird, to say the least.

Hey, I get it, we're living in unprecedented times. The COVID-19 pandemic has people's comfort levels all over the spectrum these days. It still doesn't make any less strange, however. To make things even more bizarre, the mask-wearing server brought over paper menus to our table. Once we finished ordering, the restaurant proceeded to throw away all the menus because we touched them. I gotta believe that's gonna get a little spendy after a while, especially if these social distancing procedures keep up for an extended period.

Kibbi McCormick, the owner of Josiah's Coffeehouse, Cafe & Bakery told Dakota News Now, it's been a slow go since they reopened their doors to the public again on Friday (May 8).

"You know, its been nice to see some of the people we usually see on a regular, daily, basis," McCormick said. "Getting those people back in and seeing them has been great, but as far as traffic downtown, its been very, very, slow."

Dakota News Now reports that Josiah's is seeing about 30% of the typical business it was used to getting prior to the COVID-19 crisis.

Retail and restaurant owners remain confident that business will eventually begin to pick up as more and more people begin to get back into their normal routines, and the weather starts to warm up.

Until then, a heavy dose of caution is something I'm sure most people will be practicing.

What's important is we all remember to be respectful and understanding of each other during this time, and when you feel the time is right, get out there and support the local businesses that do so much for all of us here in the community each and every day.